Electric arc welding



June 13, 1944. J. M TYRNER ELECTRIC ARC WELDING INVENTOR J05EPH M. TYKNER 24 ATTORN Y 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 6, 1941 June 13, 1944.

J. M. TYRNER ELECTRIC ARC WELDING.

Filed Dec. 6, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 N mm m k w w NH ATTORN EY June 13, 1944.

J. M. TYRNER ELECTRIC ARC WELDING Fglel Dec. 6, 1941 4 Sheets$heet 5 I .04 ATTORNE June 13, 1944. TYRNER 2,351,083

ELECTRIC ARC WELDING Filed Dec. '6, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR JOSEPH M. TYRzvsR ATTORNEY Patented June 13, 1944 2,351,083 smo'mrc no WELDING Joseph M. Tyrner, Englewood, N. 1., minor to Air Reduction company, Incorporated, New

York. N. Y., a co poration of New York Application December 6, 1941, Serial No. 421,905

(Cl. 3l5-299) 11 Claims.

This invention relates to method and apparatus for electric 'arc welding without an arc crater at the end of the weld.

The well known crater at theend of an are welded bead not only spoils the appearance of the bead, but for various reasons aifects the strength of the J oint and is deflnitelydetrimental. It is not suflicient to fill the crater; the procedure of welding has to be changed to eliminate the conditions that cause the crater.

It is known in the art to eliminate these conditions by slowly reducing the heat and voltage of the current source until the arc fades. This has been accomplished in the prior art by a slow and gradual reduction in the excitation of the generator. This expedient is limited to direct current generators, and since a reduction of the field current affects different generator systems in different ways, it does not work equally well on all generators.

It is an object 01 this invention to provide an improved method and apparatus for causing a welding arc to fade in a manner that eliminates the formation of arc craters, and to attain this result without interfering with the current source. Experience has shown that it is not only necessary to diminish the heat of the arc, but that the open circuit voltage and the correspond ing short circuit current at the arc must also diminish at the same time. The accomplishmerit of this result without interfering with the current source has the important advantage that more than one welder can receive power from the same machine.

' 3 In the rapid expansion of the airplane industry generator.

With this invention a variable-resistance are or load circuit is connected in .parallel with a variable resistance element, across the power line from the generator. By varying the resistance of the arc circuit and resistance element in a definite relation the arc is caused to fade under conditions that eliminate the crater at the end of the bead. In general, the variable resistance in parallel with the arc circuit and the resistance in series with the arc circuit are adjusted so that the voltage across the arc is less than the voltage drop across that portion of the variable resistance which is arranged in parallel with the arc circuit. One important advantage of this arrangement is that when this adjustment is made the open circuit voltage available at the arc electrode is reduced to some extent which reduces the tendency of the arc to become reignited immediately after the welding circuit is interrupted, but this open circuit voltage isnot so low as to require a substantial readjustment of the circuit in order to provide-adequate electrode voltage for commencing the next welding operation. Another important advantage of this invention is that after the adjustment has been made for the purpose of avoiding the arc crater, the short circuit current is substantially less than it would be if the electrode voltage were not reduced to an extent greater than the reduction in the voltage drop across that portion of 20. the variable resistance in parallel with the arc circuit.

One feature of the invention relates to novel apparatus by which the resistance and variations in the connections are controlled at will by the welder. Other features relate to automatic stopping, speed control, and adjustment of the apparatus.

This invention can be used with constant potential or drooping potential generators, and with either direct or alternating-current sources of welding current. The apparatus of this invention can be connected in one or more circuits supplied by a single generator or other current source and a number of welders can work independently of one another on the diflerent circuits.

An airplane factory with its production limited by an insumcient number of generators,where only one welder can work from each generator, may have ample arc welding capacity by using this invention and supplying more welders from a single generator.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will appear or be pointed out as the specification proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof:

Fig. 1 is a wiring diagram showing control apparatus of this invention applied to two separate welding circuits that are supplied from a common generator.

Fig. 2 is a volt-ampere graph operation oi the invention.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of apparatus for conillustrating the trolling a welding arcin accordance with this invention.

Fig. 4 is a side view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 3, mostly in elevation but with some parts shown in section.

Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the apparatus shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

Fig. 6 isanenlarged sectional view taken on the line GB of Fi 4.

Fig. 'l is a wiring diagram for the machine I shown in the other views.

Fig. 1 shows a generator Ill that is representative of a source of welding current. Conductors ll, l2 comprise the power line from the current source. across the power line ll, l2.

A load or are circuit includes a rheostat l5 connected by a conductor IS with an electrode holder II. The are discharges between the work I 8 and an electrode in the holder H. The work i8 is connected with one side of the power line i I, I2 and to one end of the resistance element i3 at A brush carriage 21 has one brush that moves along a row 01' contacts of the resistance element l3, and another brush that moves along a row of contacts of the rheostat i3. These brushes are A resistance element I3 is connected electrically connected sothat they complete a circuit between the resistance element i3 and the reheostat l5. From the circuit shown it is evident that the portion of the resistance element l3 above the brush carriage 2i is in series with the arc circuit whereas the lower portion of this resistance element I3 is in parallel with the arc circuit.

As the brush carriage 2| moves downward in Q Fig. 1, the portion of the resistance element i3 in series with the arc circuit, and the resistance of the rheostat ii are both increased; and the proportion of the resistance element IS in parallel with the arc circuit is decreased. If the resistance of the upper portion of the resistance element I3 is equal to, and varies as, the resistanceof the rheostat i5. then the volt-ampere curve for the arc circuit is a g-WW Where I and e are the current "and voltage, respectively, at the arc circuit R is the resistance of the full length of the resistance element l3 E is the voltage across the power line i I, i2 and a: is .the percentage of the full length of the resistance element l 3 that is above the brush carriage2l, r

The open circuit voltage. of the arc circuit is The short circuit current is v Fig. 2 shows the volt ampere curvesior the circuit shown in Fig. 1. Experience shows that while these curves are straight line relations in contrast to the drooping curves obtained with a variation in the excitation of a generator field, acircuit having the characteristics shown in Fig. 2 obtains equally effective crater elimination as with a.variation in generator field excitation. Each curve in Fig. 2 shows the voltage current characteristic of the welding circuit for some adiusted position of the 'control apparatus and it will benoted that as-eaqh'adjustment is maderent is also reduced to a substantial extent; and between these extremes, the current-in the arc circuit for any existing value of arc resistance is reduced more than it would be if the only adjustment made were a change in thevariable resistance to provide the lower open circuit voltage at the arc.

In contrast to the welding equipment in which generator excitation ischanged to control the fading of the arc, the movement of the brush carriage 2| (Fig. 1) to control the are at the electrode" holder I! does not change the voltage of the power line H, l2. A second resistance element l3 can be connected across the power line ll, i2'by conductors 23, 2 4, and a second arc welding circuit supplied by the same generator i0. Corresponding parts of the second arc circuit are indicated by the same reference char-- construction and a description of one of themis therefore sufficient. This construction is best shown in Fig. 4.

A bolt 21 and rod 28 are held in parallel, spaced relationby end plates-29. The bolt 21 and rod 28 are covered, between the end plates 29, with insulating sleeves 30 and 3i, respectively. These sleeves may be'mica tubing. A resistance wire 32 is clamped between square, copper washers 33 on the insulating sleeve 30. The wire 32 passes down around the insulating sleeve 3|, then upward again between anotherpair of square, copper, clamping washers 33. Each pair of clamping washers 33 is insulated from the adjacent pair with an insulating washer 34, which may be made of mica. In similar manner the resistance wire 32 is wound around the sleeves 30, 3! throughout substantially the full length of the sleeves, and the top surfaces of the square washers 33 comprise the contact pbints of the resistance element over which a brush moves.

Since the wire 32 carries much more current when the resistance in the circuit is low than it does after the brush has moved along the resistance element and raised the resistance, the wire 32 is madeas a composite 'wire by connecting successive lengths together end to end with each successive length of smaller cross-section than the preceding length, When very heavy current is to be carried by one end of the resistance unit, a double wire can be used at that end,

that is, two or more lengths of wire connected in parallel. A nut 36 on the end of the bolt 21 clamps the plates 29, washers 33, 34, and the turns of the wire 32 into a compact unit. At their lower ends, the side plates 28 are held by cotter pins 31 that pass through the 10d 28.

The brush carriage 2| slides on a rod 40 as a guide. The guide rod lll extendsparallel to-the rows of contacts at the tops of the resistance elements and is located midway between these resistance elements l3, l5, as shown in Fig. 6. Laminated, spring copper brushes 4| are attached to the carriage 2| and extend from opposite sides of the carriage into contact with the resis'tance elements l3, IS. The brushes ll prevent the car-' riagiofrom overtuming on'its single center guide ro The brush carriage 2| is connected with, the

on canted axles. Thesprocket 44 is an idler, but the sprocket 48 is driven by an electric motor '48 through reduction gearing 41 and a friction clutch 48 (Fig. 5). The, detailed construction of the friction clutch is not important, and for purposes of this invention it issumcient to understand that the friction clutch 48 slips when the brush carriage comes against a stop and the electric motor 48 still has considerable momentum.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the friction of the clutch, 48 can be controlled by adjusting-a unit 48. that regulates the tension on a clutch-loading spring 58.

Referring again to Fig. 4, a second carriage 8| slides on a rod 82 as a bearing and carries-an automatic stop comprising a switch I. The rod 82 is parallel to the guide rod 48 onlzwhich the brush carriage slides. An extension 54 of the brush carriage 2| projects upward into position to operate the switch 88 when the brush carriage 2| moves to the right, far enough to bring the extension 84 into the relation with the second carriage shown in Fig. 4.

When the apparatus is used to cause an arc to opposite ends of a'chain 48 that passes around sprockets 44 and 48 supported from the frame 28 fade at the end of a weld, the motor 46 is oper- 4 ated in a direction that moves the brush carriage 2| to the left.. At some point before the brushes 4| reach the end of the resistance elements IS, IS,

, the are will be extinguished and if the-welder releases the-manual control device, the motor 46 will beautomatically reversed (by switches that will be described) and the brush carriage will return to its original position where it is automatically stopped by the switch 88.

If the welder does notrelease the manual con-- trol, the movement of. the brush carriage 2| is eventually stopped, before it reaches the end of the guide rod 48, by a limit switch 88. This limit switch 88 could be located in the path of the brush carriage. but it is more convenient to locate it near the right-hand end of the apparatus and operate it with a switch operator 81 secured to the chain 43. The-switch operator 8! strikes an operating lever "that extends downward from the switch. I

The position of the brushcarriage 8! during a welding operation, and the open circuit voltage. are dependent upon the positionof the second carriage 8| that carries the automatic stopswitch 88. In order to shift the carriage 8| lengthwise along its rod 82, means are provided for clutching the second car'riageto the brush carriage so that they move as a unit... The circuit for: oper ating the motor under. such circumstances must by-pass .the automatic stop switch 88. and it is necessary to provide a limit switch I! in the path of the brush carriage to limit movement of the brush carriage toward the right;

.The carriage II has a key" that slides in a key-way 8| in the rod 82 for preventing angular movement of the carriage 8| around the axis of the rod 82. For clutching the carriage 8| to the brush carriage- 2|, the rod 82 and carriage 8| are rocked as a unitabout the. axis of the rod 82, and a notch 82 inthe carriage ll moves downover the upper end of the extension 84 and connects the two carriages 2| and 8| together so that they are moved as a unit by the chain 48. The means for rocking the rod 82 are best shown in Fig. 5. There is a bell crank 03, keyed to one end of the rod 82'. A spring 84. connected to one arm of the bell crank; .urges the rod 82 and a part of the frame 26.

into the podtion in which the carriages are not connected with one another. The other arm of the bell-crank 88 is connected by a link 85 with a plunger 88 of a solenoid 61. When the solenoid is energized, it rocks the rod 82 clockwise against the tension of the spring 84. A tail on the bell crank 88 moves an. operating member of a switch tl-whenever the solenoid 61 rocks the rod 82. The purpose of this switch will be explained in connection with the wiring diagram shown in Fig. 7.

Referring to Fig. 3, there is a brake for locking the'carriage 5| against movement lengthwise of the rod 82 when the carriage 8| is not clutched to the brush carriage 2|. The brake comprises a 2 section 88 that is slightly flexible and preferably made of steel. The rod 82 extends loosely through the brake 88, and one end of the brake member fits into a recess 18 in the carriage 5|. The other end of the brake t9 contacts with a longitudinal member 1| that is parallel to rod 82 tends through a slot in the brake 89 threads into the carriage 8| and holds a spring 13 against the brake.

When the rod 82 is in its normal position and the carriage 8| is not connected with the brush carriage 2|, the frame member 1| holds the brake 88 in the position shown in Fig. 3. When in this position, the brake 88 is cocked on the rod 52 so that it jams and will not slide. The carriage 5| cannot movelengthwise on the rod 82 without moving the brake 88.

When the rod 82 is rocked to clutch the carriage 5| to the brush carriage 2|, the brake 68 is-rocked with the carriage 8| away from the frame member ll 30 that the spring 13 can push the lower part of the brake against a iiat surface of the carriage II and into a position substantially at right angles to the axis of the rod 52 so that the brake no longer Jams on the rod.

An indicator 1!, attached to the brush carriage 2| moves as a unit with the brush carriage and is visible through a window in a control panel 18 at the front of the apparatus. If desired, a scale can be applied to the front panel along the window for use with the indicator Ii-in determining the position of the brushes along the length of the resistance elements.

' A speed regulator I8 is attached to the front panel Ii and.adjusted by a knob 18. This regulator)" is connected in the motor circuit in such a way that it controls the speed of the motor only when the motor is moving the brush carriage toward the left, the direction that reduces the arc and causes it to fade.

-*Fig. 7 shows the wiring diagram of the control apparatus illustrated in Figs. 3-6. All of the switches have a'bias toward the positions shown in Fig. 7. There are two relays 8|, 82 connected in the control circuit. The relay 8| can be energized by depressing a push-button switch 83 and is used when the welder wants to set the apparatus for a lower open circuit voltage. The other relay 82 is energized from a push-button switch 84 when the apparatus is to be adjusted for higher open circuit voltage. The distance that the motor 46 will move the automatic stop that determines the open circuit voltage will depend upon the length of time that the push-button switch 88 or 84 is held closed. Maximum limits of adjustment are determined by the limit switches 88 and 59, as previously explained; When the push button 84 is pressed toenergize the solenoid 61 and the relay l2,

A screw 12 that ex-' 4 pleted through the limit switch 59 until after upon'pressing the push button 84, until after the brake 69 has been released.

The apparatus is provided with a remote control comprising a housing 86 on-the end of a contacts 9| v r The handle 88 is normally held in the position shown in Fig; '7', with the movable. contact 96 against the lower switch contact 92, by a light spring 93. When the contacts96 and 92 are together-the motor 46 moves the brush carriage back to the point where the automatic stop switch 53 breaks the circuit.

" tothe lower contact 92. If the handle 88 is re- .leased'enough to cause the contact 98 to come against the lower contact 92, the rotation of the motor, is reversed and the brush carriage is moved back toward its original position.

In order to make it possible for the welder to tell, by the feel of the handle 88, when the movable contact 96 is in mid-position between the fixed contacts 91, 92, a heavy spring 95 is located in such positionthatthe handle 88 encounters the resistance of the heavy spring 95 1 when the contact 96 has moved away from the lower contact 92 and before it has been brought against the upper contact 9|.

Remote controlofthe open circuit voltage adjustment is obtained from a'switch located in the housing 86 and operated by arod 91 that projects through both the top and bottom of the housing 86; The rod 91 is held in a middle position by suitable means, such as springs 98,

and when in such position holds a movable,

switch contact 99 midway between fixed, switch contacts I06 and HII.v Displacing the rod 91 1 downward to bring contact 99 against the lowercontact |6|' has the same eifect as closing the push-button switch 83. Moving the rod-91 upward until the movable contact 99 touches the upper contact I06 has the same effect as operating the push-button switch 84.

Various changes can be made in the circuits,

. such as proportioning or arranging the resistance "the switch" 68 closes. As explainedabove, the switch 68 closes whenever the solenoid 61 rocks the 'rod '52 'to release the brake '69. Thus the switch 68 prevents operation of the'motor 46 the circuit of the motor 46 will not be comwelding which comprises connecting the work and electrode with a source oi'rwelding current,

shunting a portionof the current from said source through a circuit in parallel with the arc circuit, and varying the resistance of the arc circuits and the shunt circuit to reduce the current flowing at the arcto a greater extent than would flexible cable8l that reaches tothe location where the welder isat work. The welder can hold the housing in one hand and squeeze 'it to 1 displace a switch handle-88 that is connected to -jthe' housing 86 byfa pivot 89. 'I'hehandle 88 shifts a movable contact 99 between fixed, switch result from the change in the resistance of the shunt circuit alone.

-2. The method of controlling an electric weldin arc in a systemhaving a resistance connected across a power line which supplies the electricity for: the weldingii'arc and a resistance. in series with the welding arc, which comprises taking the current for the arc circuit from a point intermediate'the ends of the resistance across the power line, and varying both the point of the resistance with which the arc circuit is connected and the resistance-inseries with the arc circuit itself, to reduce the-"heat of the arc to-a greater extent than would result from the variation of said point alone.

3. The method of controlling the .heat of an electric arc that'is supplied with power from a constant potential source, which method comprises closing the circuit between the terminals of said source through a constant resistance, supplying power for the are through a variable resistance in series with the arc and in series with a portion of said constant resistance, and in parallel with another portion of said constant resistance, and increasing said variable resistance and decreasing the amount of said constant resistance that is in-parallel with the arc circuit to reduce the heat of the arc.

4. The method of eliminating the arc crater at the end of a weld, which method comprises connecting a resistance across a power line that supplies the current for welding, supplying power .resistance and in parallel with another portion of said resistance, and causing the arc to fade at the end of a weld by increasing the resistance of the rheostat and at the same time changing the point of connection of the arc circuit with said resistance, to increase the proportion in series and decrease the portion of said resistance in parallel with the arc circuit.

5. The method of eliminating an arc crater at the end of a weld bead, which method comprises in series with the arc, in any desired portion of the system whereby an increase in this resistance and a decrease in the variable resistance in shunt with the arc circuit produces a greater reduction in the electrode voltage than would be accomplished merely by the change in the variable re- 1. The method of supplying current forarc welding with a resistance element shunted across the arc circuit, and at the end of the weld simultaneously increasing the resistance of thearc circuit and decreasing the resistance of the shunt circuit whereby the arc is caused to fade at a rate greater than would result from the decrease in the resistance of the shunt circuit.

-:6. An arc welding apparatus including a load circuit, a resistance element in said circuit in series with' the arc, a second resistance elementin a circuit in parallel with the load circuit. and means for simultaneously increasing the resistance in one of the circuits and decreasing the resistance in the other circuit to control the arc.

7. Arc control apparatus for eliminatingthe crater at the endof a weld bead, said apparatus including a circuit in series with the arc; a circuit in parallel with the arc, and means for increasing the resistance of the series circuit and decreasing the resistance of the parallel circuit to cause the arc to fade.

8. Apparatus for controlling an electric are that is supplied with power from a constant potential source, including in combination a resistance element for connection across the supply line from the constant potential power source, and a load circuit connected in parallel with a portion of the resistance element, said load circuit including a rheostat in series with the arc, and a conductor that is movable into different positions to connect different proportions of the resistance element in series and in parallel with the load circuit, and means for varying the position of said conductor and the resistance of the rheostat at the same time.

9. Apparatus for controlling an electric are that is supplied with power from a supply line, comprising two resistance elements each with a row of contacts extending along and spaced from the row of contacts of the other, means for connecting one of said resistance elements across the supply line, an arc circuit connected in series with the other resistance element, a brush device that touches the contacts of both rows and establishes an electrical connection between the resistance elements, said brush device being movable along the rows of contacts to connect the resistance elements at diflferent points whereby portions of both resistance elements may be connected in series with the arc, and said resistance elements and brush device being connected and arranged so that movement of the brush device in one direction increases the amount of resistance in series with the are by increasing the portion of each of said resistance elements in series with the arc.

10. An electric welding device including two resistance elements each with a row of contacts extending along and spaced from the row of contacts of the other, a brush device that touches the contacts of both rows and establishes an electrical connection between the resistance elements, said brush device being movable along the rows of contacts to connect the resistance elements at different points, motor-operated means for moving the brush device, a control for reversing the motor-operated means to return the brush device to its original position, an automatic stop for discontinuing the operation of the motor-operated means when the brush device reaches its original position, conductors for connecting the first of the resistance elements across a line from a power source, and anarc circuit connected at one end with the power line and at the other end with a terminal of the second resistance element whereby the brush device connects portions of each of said resistance elements in series with the arc circuit, so that movement of the brush device in one direction from its original position increases the portion of each of said resistance elements in series with the arc circuit.

11. Apparatus for supplying power to a welding arc and for causing the arc to fade and prevent crater formation at the end of a weld bead, said apparatus comprising a first resistance element with terminals for connection across a power line from a source of welding current, a second resistance element located alongside of the dust resistance element, each of said resistance elements having a row of contacts along a line parallel to the row of contacts of the other, a guide between the rows of contacts, a brush carriage movable alon the guide, a switch carriage also movable along the guide, a motonmotion-transmitting connections from the motor to the brush carriage, a reversing control for changing the direction of movement of the motiontransmitting connections, a switch on the switch carriage for stopping the movement of the motion-transmitting means, an abutment on the brush carriage in position to operate the switch on the switch carriage when the carriages come together, a clutch operable to connect and disconnect the switch carriage and said motion-' transmitting means, brushes on the brush carriage in position to travel along the rows of contacts of the respective resistance elements, said brushes being connected to establish a circuit between the resistance elements, and an arc circuit, one side of which is connected to one end of the second resistance element and the other side of which is connected with the power line, whereby the brushes connect portions of each of said resistance elements in series with the arc circuit,

so that movement of the brush carriage in one direction from its original position increases the portion of each of said resistance elements in series with the arc circuit.

Jose h M. TYRNER. 

